Arise, My Champion
by War'sSquire
Summary: A little back story to a Death Knight I have been playing. I know it's way late content wise but it sounded fun and it's a simple little piece that I just sort of threw together.
1. Chapter 1

Gasping for air he sat bolt upright upon the cold slab where he lay. Dizzy and disoriented he searched frantically for something, anything, familiar to tell him where he was. All around him were undead abominations and a weird green slime that flowed like water down a stone lined channel. Slowly, as the disorientation gave way to reason, he remembered.

_That's right…at the Wrathgate, I died. I died along-side countless others. The damned apothecaries betrayed us…_

Rage swelled in his chest as he lifted his hand to find his weapon. He stopped short as his first glance of his new flesh crossed his eyes. Pale and the colour of cooled ash it was. From behind he heard a voice, sharp but familiar.

"You have finally awakened. Good, we had feared that the conversion had been unsuccessful. Do you remember who you are?"

"Kael'Dahn Dawnreaver." His voice was hollow and echoed strangely in the small chamber. "And you…are Lady Sylvanas Windrunner."

"Good, you do remember. It would be a shame for such a mind to be lost to the usual temporary amnesia that often accompanies your new…condition."

"So my request was heeded?"

"Yes. It took a lot of convincing to get Koltira to agree to assist us. Would you like to see his work?"

Kael'Dahn nodded; his mouth too dry to speak further.

Lady Windrunner handed him a small mirror and he shakily brought it before his sight. The cold emissive blue eyes of a Death Knight stared back at him from a sunken and sallow face gaunt with the absence of a soul. His originally dark red hair had turned a pale cobalt blue. He had joined the ranks of the Forsaken.

"Tell me; what is it that compelled you to _choose_ this accursed unlife?"

Setting the mirror aside Kael'Dahn steadied his slightly quavering voice,

"I was a small boy when Arthas's scourge legions marched on Quel'Thalas. I had hidden myself in the smoldering ruins of a home hoping they would not find me. I watched as our home burned, as our people were slaughtered like cattleand then raised to join the swelling ranks of walking corpses. I watched as your soul was ripped from your still living body. I witnessed one of our most beloved nobles tortured and twisted to Frostmourne's vile purposes. I vowed that if ever I could join you in the fight against such a monster then I would do whatever it took."

Kael'Dahn rose from the slab, finding his feet much sturdier than he had hoped.

"Where is my father's axe?"

"I managed to pry it from your cold dead hands. It was shattered beyond repair, but we managed to salvage most of the shards."

It was the voice of Koltira Deathweaver. Kael'Dahn turned to find him holding the remains of the exquisitely crafted Solarite axe out to him. Taking it in one hand he found it, in total, much lighter than he remembered.

"Do we have any scrap Saronite?"

"There is a small stock from the wares we brought to the Undercity from Acherus. Speak to the Van Brunt brothers in the War Quarter. Let them know I sent you and you should have no problem accessing the stores."

A short walk from the Apothecarium brought the newly risen Death Knight to the forges of the Undercity where the brothers Van Brunt presided over training and supplying any who wished to learn the way of the forge and hammer.

"Excuse me; I'm looking for James and Samuel Van Brunt."

"Well, you've found us Death Knight. What do you want? We're quite busy at the moment."

"Koltira Deathweaver sent me. He said you had some Saronite scrap."

"In the back, not much there to be useful to anyone. Knock yourself out."

Over the next several days the forges smoked mightily and the ring of hammer and steel echoed through the underbelly of Lordaeron. With a great sigh of accomplishment Kael'Dahn lifted the newly forged twin runeblades that had been his father's axe. The weapon had felled a great many scourge, and now with two swift and lethal blades in his hands it would slay a great many more. He looked at the shadowy metal with grim satisfaction.

"I hope you are prepared. We have breached Icecrown Citadel and our forces make their way toward the Frozen Throne as we speak."

"I am ready, m'Lady. I only need to inscribe these blades with the appropriate runes and I shall be ready to lay waste to Arthas's legions once again."

"Temper your fury my champion. It is a terrible weapon that will wreak terrible havoc upon the Citadel. You will be the instrument of the Sin'dorei vengeance and the Forsaken charge to rid us forever of the Lich King who once held dominion over us."

The zeppelin ride to Northrend was interminable. Kael'Dahn couldn't stop himself from pacing the deck as the airship brought him ever closer to his ultimate goal, Icecrown Citadel. After several days the spires of Vengeance Landing came into view. Stepping off of the zeppelin he commandeered a bat to fly him to the Shadow Vault, the closest bastion of the Horde to the wretched palace of the Lich King. He gazed stoically at the glimmering runes on his blades as they shifted and glowed. _Soon. Soon vengeance will be mine. Gird your fortress well Arthas…I am coming for you._


	2. Chapter 2

Saronite rang as a heavy gauntleted hand slammed against the breastplate in salute as he approached Saurfang the Younger.

"Strength! I offer my sympathies. Your father's fate is a great blow to us all. I am honored to have died beside him."

"Lok-Tar Ogar, Blood Elf. The scourge will pay in blood thrice over for all of the lives they have taken. And the Royal Apothecaries will be judged quite harshly by your Dark Lady as well, I would think."

"They are being…"

Kael'Dahn paused for a long moment as he searched for the right word.

"Reprimanded accordingly…shall we say?"

Saurfang's tusked grin was both pleased and filled with malice.

"We have been seeing Scourge engines rolling out of Icecrown Citadel at an alarming rate…all headed north."

Kael'Dahn looked worriedly to the north, if the Shadow Vault were to come under siege it would not last long. The Argent Crusade's most important supply line to the Citadel would be destroyed.

"What is being done to reinforce the position there?"

"Those details are not your concern, Sergeant Sorrowsinger. I honestly wish I could tell you more, but that information is on a need-to-know."

"So, nothing is being done?"

Saurfang would not meet Kael'Dahn's fierce stare and turned his head in an awkward but affirming silence.

"Ah, General Saurfang, just the man I was looking for."

The voice of Koltira Deathweaver interceded as Kael'Dahn opened his mouth to speak his deep-seated disapproval.

"We're not staying, Lord Deathweaver. We turn the Blade north to the Shadow Vault."

"My apologies, I didn't realize you had been given command of this company…Sergeant."

The last word was laced with a venom that no one in earshot could deny. Kael'Dahn stood resolute, staring unblinking at Koltira. He did not fear the Lord Commander of the Ebon Blade's Horde chapter, and he did not fear reprisal from the Dark Lady for opposing him.

"We turn north. I will have no argument. If we are to take Icecrown Citadel then the Shadow Vault must be protected."

He whistled sharply and his Deathcharger, Rothoof, cantered forward. Mounting the imposing beast he whirled around to face the company of Ebon Blade Knights that followed Koltira.

"We ride north to bolster our brothers and sisters at the Shadow Vault. Those who do not wish to follow may remain here."

His last statement was, unashamedly, hurled in the face of Lord Deathweaver, who's normally ashen pallor turned a deep blue in anger.

"Lady Windrunner will hear of this insubordination, Sorrowsinger!"

"I'm certain she will. And then she'll probably give me your job."

Koltira's rage was palpable as the greater portion of the company followed Kael'Dahn.

"Deathknight! Wait!"

An orc voice called after them. Kael'Dahn turned to see no less than fifty Horde warriors riding forth on raptors, dire wolves, and war kodo. The look in every one of their eyes was clear.

"All of us have old friends that were turned to the ranks of the scourge and have broken free. We would not sit idly by as the Hold is laid to siege."

"Throm'ka! We would be glad of the help. Ride with us."

Five days' ride was what it took to get to the Shadow Vault; heavy Scourge resistance met them all along the way. The dimly glowing runes of each and every Knight's blade were snuffed out by the thick cake of coagulated Scourge ichor that had built over the preceding days. When the walls of the Shadow Vault came into view every heart, still beating or otherwise, sank like a stone. Thick curls of acrid black smoke rose to the skies and the surrounding air was thick with the smell of corruption and burning flesh. It was too late; the Vault had fallen. As the company crested the last rise they saw, laid out before them, a Scourge army so numerous that they seemed to writhe and seethe as a single unit. A fury to eclipse the Bloodlust of the Orcs rose in Kael'Dahn's eyes. A terrible battle cry was ripped forth from the depths of his being as he spurred Rothoof forward. Forgotten were the near hundred warriors that followed him. Dropping the reins, he drew both blades and, like the fist of an angry god, they crashed into the first two Scourge in reach. Bones shattered and rotten flesh squelched, blood and ichor filled the air as another furious cry rent the air, but not from Kael'Dahn. The hundred warriors, Horde and Ebon Blade alike, descended on the seething mass of corrupted flesh; ripping and slashing. Deathchargers kicked, dire wolves ripped at any and all exposed flesh, and the massive war kodo trampled any who could not avoid their frantic charge.

They would all die this day, he knew, but Kael'Dahn cared not for the consequences. The Scourge would feel his endless unquenchable wrath. As the Scourge body count climbed ever higher, there appeared a break in the ranks to reveal four hulking flesh golems, each branded as a mighty general. They began to charge Kael'Dahn, and he met them head on. Leaping from Rothoof's saddle he catapulted himself onto the shoulders of the leading general. Slashing furiously with his runeblades, he removed enormous slabs of putrid flesh. The abomination flailed wildly in an attempt to throw his assailant but to no avail. Kael'Dahn slammed his blades into the creature's skull with a bellowing cry,

"For the Ebon Blade!"

He launched himself again as the first monstrosity fell, careening directly into the face of the next in line. The gleaming blades dug into its eyes and the golem roared in agony. Pulling one blade free it was driven into the exposed throat of the creature with another vengeful cry,

"For the Horde!"

The second fell with a sickening gurgle, but was ripped from under his feet by the third as a giant meat hook on a length of heavy saronite chain sank into the soft squishy body. Kael'Dahn tumbled to the ground, bouncing violently despite his heavy plate mail. Regaining his feet he met the third abomination as it swung an enormous cleaver in a powerful downward arc. Dodging just in time, he run up the, now trapped, arm and dove off the beast's shoulder. Turning in mid-air Kael'Dahn struck downward, slicing through a long line of heavy stitches.

"For Quel'Thalas!"

The abomination began to fall apart under its own weight as more stiches ripped free. The fourth was now upon him and there was nowhere to he could go to escape its incoming hook and chain. It dug into his shoulder with blinding pain. He was ripped from his feet, but managed to keep his hold on his weapons. Using the momentum generated by the abomination's assault Kael'Dahn slid between its legs, slashing at the exposed backs of its knees. The monster dropped and Kael'Dahn climbed to its shoulders. Crossing his blades across its throat, one final cry tore through the battle clangor, causing some to stare in amazement as the last general's head was separated from its body.

"For the FORSAKEN!"


End file.
